In small runabout boats and even larger cruisers, it is desirable to have a boat seat with a movable back. The movable back can be placed in a forward facing seating position over the horizontal seat or swung forward to place the back in a rearward facing seating position. It is often desirable to have the back move to one end of the horizontal seat and lay horizontal and aligned with the upper surface of the horizontal seat to convert the seat into a lounge suitable for laying on the lounge for sunbathing or simply resting.
Various techniques have been developed for making a seat convertible into a reclining or lounge seat position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,479 shows a convertible seat arrangement where the back of the seat can be placed into the horizontal or lounge position. U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,350 shows a pivot support mechanism for a folding bench, again in which the back of the seat can be placed into the horizontal or lounge position.
However, for convertible lounge seats in boats it is desirable first, that the back of the seat be easily adjusted and not too heavy or difficult to move for the average boater and, in particular, women. This requires that the mechanism for supporting the seat and allowing it to move not be so restrictive as to require excessive force to move the seat into its various positions. Second, it is desirable that the mechanism for supporting and allowing the back of the seat to move not be exposed with sharp edges, large nuts and bolts, or other sharp objects that may come into contact with the user of the seat. This is particularly important in convertible boat lounge seats since passengers on a boat are sometime in unstable positions when the boat is rolling or in waves causing them to brush against or fall against the ends of the seats. Thirdly, it is a desirable feature that the mechanism for supporting and allowing the back of the seat to move not be too costly so as to make it an undesirable feature to have to build into a boat.